CN101553392A

CN101553392A - Articulation control system

Info

Publication number: CN101553392A
Application number: CNA2007800455537A
Authority: CN
Inventors: C·克龙诺瓦; R·利伯格; T·兰登
Original assignee: Scania CV AB
Current assignee: Scania CV AB
Priority date: 2006-12-12
Filing date: 2007-12-11
Publication date: 2009-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-11
Also published as: SE0602672L; WO2008073045A1; ES2389693T3; RU2009126575A; PL2091807T3; EP2091807A1; CN101553392B; EP2091807B1; BRPI0719562B1; SE530628C2; BRPI0719562A2; RU2446959C2; SE530628C3; EP2091807A4

Abstract

The present invention relates to an articulation control system for use with an articulated vehicle (10) having a front vehicle body (11) and a rear vehicle body (12), said front and rear vehicle bodies (11, 12) being arranged to be connected together by articulation means (13) comprising first damping means and second damping means for providing relative rotation relative to each other, said system comprising control means for controlling said rotation by controlling said first damping means and said second damping means. The system includes a first control unit (31) for controlling said first damping means, and a second control unit (32), separate from said first control unit (31), for controlling said second damping means. The present invention also relates to a vehicle.

Description

Articulation control system

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of articulation control system that is used for articulated vehicle as described in the preamble according to claim 1.The invention still further relates to a kind of articulated vehicle according to claim 15.

Background technology

Long vehicle has many advantages, and for example they are compared with short vehicle and have higher delelivered payload capability.But shortcoming is that long car body for example needs a large amount of spaces when turning.Therefore, the vehicle of the length of urban district use is configured to articulated vehicle usually.This vehicle for example is city motor bus, hinged lorry and pulling type truck.Describedly hingedly be convenient to the carrying capacity of vehicle in urban area, and had the advantage of long vehicle body simultaneously, promptly higher passenger carrying capacity or loading (transportation) ability.

What the driving system of traditional articulated vehicle was used is to turn to front axle and be positioned at for example to be the transmission shaft on the front vehicle body of truck, and one or more being positioned at for example is the axle on the aftercarriage of trailer.The scheme that plays said function also is a general-duty for hinged city motor bus, and driving engine and driving device are installed in the steering shaft and the below, the floor between the transmission shaft of front vehicle body, wherein front vehicle body traction aftercarriage in this case.The driving performance of this city motor bus driving performance general and the pulling type truck is similar.

But this scheme with especially for urban transit bus, wish to have lowest possible floor so that get on or off the bus not only fast but easily structure brought conflicting physically, its reason is because the required requisite space of driving engine and driving device makes the floor that is difficult to reach low like this be provided with.Therefore, hinged city motor bus places driving engine and driving device the rear portion of city motor bus aftercarriage usually, promptly in hinged back.But the scheme that front vehicle body is promoted by aftercarriage is brought and is different from non-articulated vehicle to a great extent and has driving performance as the articulated vehicle of the front vehicle body of tractor.

For example, if articulated joint is can be too free, promptly too undamped ground rotates, so just exist the aftercarriage of vehicle may be, i.e. the rear axle of front vehicle body with axis, or the risk that the middle part of vehicle is thrown away and laterally releases, especially under the condition in winter and under other the condition of easily skidding.In addition, if hinged too undamped during the high-speed operation, vehicle just may become not steady so.On the other hand, if hingedly too be subjected to damping, so for example necessary rotation will be prevented from and vehicle will tend to continue to keep straight on forward during turning.

Because these reasons disclose many articulation control systems, wherein hinged usually by damping mechanism control, described damping mechanism is used for providing pivotally attached suitable damping constant according to current riving condition.This damping mechanism is normally automatically controlled, and wherein said damping constant is for example based on for example being the parameter of deflection angle, current splice angle, the speed of a motor vehicle, splice angle speed (articulation angle rate) and articulation angle and Be Controlled.

But if system breaks down, so this automatically controlled damping system just can not make vehicle continue operation usually, so need a kind of improved hinged damping system.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a kind of articulation control system that solves above-mentioned problem.This purpose is by realizing according to the described system of the characteristic of claim 1.

According to the present invention, described articulation control system comprises articulated mounting, described articulated mounting comprises first damping arrangement and second damping arrangement, wherein said system comprises first control unit of controlling described first damping arrangement, and second control unit that separate with described first control unit, described second damping arrangement of control.

The advantage that has like this is, if one of them control unit work mal, another control unit just can use its relevant damping arrangement to keep the gratifying control of linkwork so, thereby guarantees that vehicle is with the secured fashion continuous running.

To being conspicuous the detailed description of preferred implementation and accompanying drawing, wherein said preferred implementation and accompanying drawing only provide in the mode of example, and should not be interpreted as any restriction from following for additional features of the present invention and advantage thereof.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 shows and can use articulated vehicle of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows the damping mechanism of articulated joint.

Fig. 3 schematically shows according to damping mechanism control system of the present invention.

The specific embodiment

In specification sheets of the present invention and claims, phrase " front vehicle body " should be interpreted as having the car body of at least one steering shaft.In addition, " aftercarriage " should be interpreted as having the car body of at least one rear axle, and wherein said aftercarriage is arranged to use articulated mounting, be rotatable connector and being connected with described front vehicle body.

In addition, in specification sheets and claims, term " control unit " should be interpreted as comprising the unit of control logic, and described control logic can exchange digital data with other control unit.

As mentioned above, articulated vehicle is compared the capacity that has increase usually with usual vehicle.Fig. 1 discloses an example of the articulated vehicle of city motor bus 10 forms, and the present invention can advantageously use thereon.Described city motor bus 10 is made up of front vehicle body 11 and aftercarriage 12, and wherein said front vehicle body 11 and described aftercarriage 12 utilize linkwork 13 to be joined together, and will be described in more detail this below.Described front vehicle body comprises steering shaft 14 (so-called front axle or A axle) and second 15 (vehicle B axle or the axis) that car 10 is turned to.Described aftercarriage comprises transmission shaft 16 (C axle or rear axle), and its driving engine 17 and change speed gear box 18 by the place, end that is positioned at described aftercarriage 12 provides power.Therefore, disclosed vehicle belongs to pusher configuration, and wherein front vehicle body 11 is promoted by aftercarriage 12.As mentioned above, pusher configuration is brought the driving performance different with the vehicle with retractor structures.These differences are compensated because having used linkwork 13, and its quilt in Fig. 2 is open in more detail.Described linkwork comprises hinge unit, and described hinge unit is made of rotating disk 20, and it has the one end 22 that is arranged to be fixed to rigidly on the described aftercarriage 12, and has the other end 21 that is fixed to rigidly on the described front vehicle body 11.Disclosed rotating disk is used on the articulated vehicle of tractor formula freely rotating rotating disk and promptly can provide enough mechanisms to realize necessary relative motion (rotation) between described front vehicle body 11 and the described aftercarriage 12 in himself.But, when in the vehicle that uses in pusher type, skid in the Louis, road or during the vehicle tempo turn, the accident (jack-knifing) that vehicle is converted into V-arrangement can take place in the undamped rotation of rotating disk.Therefore, disclosed linkwork is provided with the damping arrangement of two

hydraulic damping cylinder

23,24 forms, they provide suitable and variable damping constant so that the relative motion relative to each other of front vehicle body and aftercarriage is subjected to damping.Supply to the hydraulic pressure of

cylinder

23,24 by change, can and regulate damping constant according to current riving condition control.For example, when the speed of a motor vehicle is less than or equal to 30km/h, if and go up splice angle in any direction more than or equal to for example 7 ° and no longer increase, hydraulic actuating cylinder can be arranged to minimal damping is provided so that the hinged place can suitably be stretched (in this example so, if splice angle is less than or equal to 7 °, vehicle is considered to keep straight on forward so.Certainly, described angle can be set to any suitable angle).In addition, under identical situation,, can increase damping constant so immediately and be converted into the accident of V-arrangement to prevent vehicle if find that splice angle increases.

On the other hand, if how many speed of a motor vehicle greater than 30km/h, in order to prevent to be converted into accident and/or jiggly driving of V-arrangement, can increase damping constant according to the relation with the speed of a motor vehicle regardless of splice angle so for.Damping constant can for example be linear (having identical or different derivative for different speed of a motor vehicle intervals) or exponent function relation with described relation between the speed of a motor vehicle.

As above-mentioned, damping constant is Be Controlled by the hydraulic pressure of control damped cylinder.And described hydraulic pressure uses actuator and Be Controlled, and described actuator for example is the apportioning valve of current control, and wherein resulting hydraulic pressure depends on control current.As can be seen from Figure, each

cylinder

23,24 is controlled respectively by apportioning

valve

25,26.

In addition, control unit 27 is used for determining proportional valve control currents so that guarantee gratifying driving performance all the time based on main riving condition.Described control unit 27 comprises the device that determined electric current is applied to apportioning valve, for example by determined control current is supplied to described apportioning valve bonded assembly mouth on.Schematically show described control unit among the figure, its position is determined by the designer of vehicle usually.For example, described control unit 27 can be disposed on the rotating disk 20 or near it, perhaps is disposed in front vehicle body and the aftercarriage appropriate location in any one.Described control unit 27 is connected with the vehicle data communication bus so that can with other the vehicle control system unit communications and receive relevant data, can realize the suitable operation of damping mechanism, promptly definite suitable control current.This data for example can be made up of the rotating speed and/or the travel direction of the speed of a motor vehicle and/or one or more independent wheels.Described data transmit on vehicle communication bus usually, and therefore, simply by collect the data that transmit on described communication bus, described data are often available for control unit 27.

In the prior art, two hydraulic actuating cylinders are configured to work independently of one another usually.The advantage that has like this is, if one of them cylinder working mal, another can provide enough dampings to move to guarantee continuation so, makes vehicle can be driven to the public service station place under repair in the mode of safety at least.

But, described scheme existing problems.If control unit 27 work mals or lose and being connected of communication bus, the control of damping mechanism also loses fully so.In order to improve this problem, one or two damped cylinder can be provided with urgent dash pot valve.This urgent dash pot valve is made of magnet valves usually, wherein when applying voltage, is fed into described cylinder according to the above-mentioned hydraulic pressure of controlling, if when off voltage, predetermined hydraulic pressure is fed into described cylinder.Therefore, need to provide gratifying low cruise and the stress level of gratifying high-speed cruising is provided simultaneously.But, in fact, be difficult to determine and enough hang down to be used for low speed and smooth condition and enough high simultaneously so that the pressure of gratifying high-speed condition to be provided, therefore, be difficult to obtain when control unit 27 work mals, to have the system of required driving performance equally.

But, the invention provides a kind of control logic that addresses this problem.Disclose example among Fig. 3, as can be seen from the figure, used two

control units

31,32 rather than only one according to control logic of the present invention.Each

control unit

31,32 control example is as being a damping arrangement actuator of apportioning

valve

25,26 among Fig. 2, to be used for the difference control example as being the damping arrangement of aforesaid hydraulic actuating cylinder, be that each

control unit

31,32 comprises the device that determined control current is applied to its actuator that is associated, for example by determined control current being supplied to and apportioning

valve

25,26 bonded assembly mouths.Alternatively, described apportioning valve can be voltage-controlled, in this case, provides voltage rather than electric current.As other alternate ways, it for example is the digital signal of the required damping constant of damping arrangement of hydraulic pressure that described actuator can be supplied to expression.In this scheme, described actuator comprises the device that described digital signal is converted to control signal, and for example, described actuator can convert described digital signal to control current.In addition, each control unit is connected with vehicle communication bus 37 individually by means of connecting

device

35,36.

The vehicle of the above-mentioned type can only have a communication bus, and all control unit for vehicle for example are connected with described communication bus in disclosed mode among Fig. 3.But common described vehicle comprises many communication buses.For example, described vehicle can comprise three communication buses, and every all has a plurality of coupled control units.So different control unit for vehicle can be connected with communication bus based on criticality, the control unit of promptly being responsible for low criticality function can be connected with a communication bus, the control unit of being responsible for half criticality function can be connected with the second communication bus, correspondingly, the control unit of responsible high criticality function can be connected with the 3rd communication bus.In this system,

control unit

31,32 should be connected with the communication bus that is used for high criticality function, because the malfunction of hinged damping mechanism may influence the ability with the secured fashion steering vehicle to a great extent.

If the high criticality function of using its control unit to be connected with the 3rd communication bus, it can for example constitute the engine management system (EMS) 38 of the control vehicle duty of engine, the gearbox management system (GMS) 39 of control vehicle gearbox function and the brake management system (BMS) 40 of control vehicle braking function so.

Chaufeur can be received the notice about articulation control system damage/malfunction, for example by telltale or warning light, and takes necessary operation.Telltale/warning light is by 48 controls of instrument carrier panel control unit, and described instrument carrier panel control unit 48 is received the notice about articulation system status via vehicle communication bus 37.

EMS 38 is preferably located in the aftercarriage 12, for example is connected with vehicle motor.In addition, GMS 39 also is preferably located in the aftercarriage, for example is arranged on the panel in the appropriate location of aftercarriage.Described

control unit

40,48 is preferably located in the front vehicle body.For example, these control units can be arranged on the shared panel of appropriate location, so that realize assembling more easily and maintenance more easily.Described

control unit

31,32 can be positioned at the position of next-door neighbour's damping mechanism, for example is positioned on the rotating disk or near the rotating disk.But,, it is contemplated that also described

control unit

31,32 can be positioned on above-mentioned any panel jointly owing to above reason.Alternatively, described control unit can be separated from each other, for example be each positioned on above-mentioned each panel, reducing the risk that control unit suffers common fault, as following want disclosed.

During normal running, described control unit 31 plays the effect of bus master controller (bus master) and carries out all communications about articulated system on the communication bus.Described control unit 32 can communication on communication bus 37, but is receiving only ongoing communication as from control device (slave) time.Described control unit 31-32 is provided preferably with identical software, and in order to determine their relative ranks, described control unit respectively comprises one group of input pin 46a-c and 47a-c respectively.By with these input pins ground connection or be connected with voltage source suitably, described control unit " is informed " that they should be as primary controller still as from the control device.As can be seen, described control unit 31 has connected to chassis pin 46c and the pin 46a-b that is connected with voltage source, in this example, this means that described control unit 31 will be as primary controller.Similarly, described control unit 32 has connected to chassis pin 47a and the pin 47b-c that is connected with voltage source, correspondingly, this means that described control unit 32 will be as bus from controlling device (if described control unit 32 detects described control unit 31 work mals, so described control unit 32 can be as bus master controller, and irrelevant with current pin configuration, as following want disclosed).

Described control unit 31 also comprises the input media that is used to receive relevant sensor signals, described sensor for example for the

pressure sensor

41,42 of each hydraulic actuating cylinder, be used to survey current splice angle and be used to calculate at least one splice angle sensor 43 and at least one end position conv 44 of hinged speed, (conv is enough to be used in determining to reach (arbitrarily) end position promptly to be used to detect the end position of the pivotal motion on the either direction.If use two convs, what so also can determine to reach is two in may end positions which), thus so that can prevent the further hinged conv of avoiding vehicle damage by applying the high level damping.So these incoming signals and the signal that calculates are used for the suitable control current of apportioning valve with being used about for example data of the Vehicular turn angle and the speed of a motor vehicle of receiving from communication bus with calculating.Also can consider other parameter, for example articulation angle.At normal run duration, described control unit 31 is carried out all calculating of relevant proportional valve control currents and will be sent to control unit 32 about its instruction of how controlling its apportioning valve that is associated 26.Described control unit 31 can also determine whether the current speed of a motor vehicle too high for current splice angle and direction of traffic, if too high, then to EMS 38 request engine powers reducing and/or to the suitable braking of motor vehicle braking system (not shown) request.

Communication between the

control unit

31,32 can use vehicle communication bus 37 to carry out, but in the disclosed example, additional special-purpose communication bus 45 is at least in the communication that is utilized separately for during the normal running between the control unit 31,32.The advantage that has like this is that described vehicle communication bus can not be subjected to unnecessary

load.Communication unit

31,32 also can use described special-purpose communication bus 45 to come the proper handling of other communication unit of verification.Described bus 45 can preferably be made of the CAN bus, but also can constitute by any suitable bus interface or according to the Radio Link (wireless link) of suitable home control network communication protocol.If the advantage that described communication bus 45 also has is that for example control unit 31 has lost and the getting in touch of communication bus 37, it can continue communications on bus 37 by using bus 45 and control unit 32 so.In addition, if described bus 37 owing to any reason certain between connecting

device

35,36 is a bit located the work mal, can use bus 45 as the emergency communication circuit that is used for communication between front vehicle body system and the aftercarriage system so.

Because one in the

control unit

31,32 as primary controller work, another conduct is from the work of control device, so described

control unit

31,32 can be provided with identical source address, promptly with regard to the remainder of vehicle control system, they are as a mono-control unit.Described control unit can comprise and is used for determining the whether device of malfunction of another control unit.If being for example described control unit 32, the advantage that has like this detects control unit 31 work mals, so described control unit 32 promptly can be born the role of bus master controller immediately and not consider according to above-described pin configuration, to guarantee the ongoing operation of linkwork.Described control unit 32 for example can stop to determine control unit 31 work mals by determining the communication of control unit 31 on

communication bus

37 and 45 one or both of.

The advantage that the present invention has is if one of them control

unit

31,32 breaks down, so still can utilize another control unit to control linkwork at least to a certain extent.If damped cylinder has enough sizes, can use remaining cylinder to keep so is normal riving condition normally or almost.Therefore; all correctly work but under the abnormal situation of one of them damped cylinder work at two control units; this also can keep normally or almost operation normally, because in this case, is responsible for the control unit of execution function and can gives a warning to another control unit described situation.For example, if the damped cylinder work mal of control unit 31, so described control unit 31 can still be carried out necessary calculating and ask suitable control from control unit 32.If control unit 31 work mals, control unit 32 still can be carried out the operation (because having lacked the incoming signal that comes from sensor 41-44) that reduces based on the speed of a motor vehicle and direction so.For example, can utilize about 50% available engine power to drive in this case, thereby guarantee that safe transport is to the public service station.

In the above description, only control unit 31 is provided with the device of sensor-lodging.But also can make two control units all be provided with the device that receives described sensor signal, thus, if control unit 31 work mals, control unit 32 also can be carried out more qualified calculating according to the above so.In addition, one or two control units can be arranged to control two damped cylinders.In this scheme, even one of them control unit work mal, described system also can keep normal running.

If described unit has independent wire fuse and the independent grounding risk with the malfunction that reduces to cause owing to earth fault, so described articulated system structure can more can emergency protection (fail-safe).

Although above invention has been described in conjunction with city motor bus, it should be understood that the present invention can be applied in the articulated vehicle of any kind, especially in the vehicle of pusher type.In addition, in the above description, damping arrangement is made of hydraulic actuating cylinder.Certainly, the present invention is suitable for being used by the hinge unit that other types of devices constitutes for damping arrangement wherein equally, as long as control unit can be used to control described damping arrangement.If enough dumping forces can be provided, so this damping arrangement can be made of the cylinder of for example air cylinder or electric motor operated.In addition, although the present invention is described as the system with two control units, have additional control unit, the system of three or four control units for example but also can have, so that more redundancy to be provided, in this case, work during mal other control unit can be configured to take over one or two function in the described control unit.

Claims

1. sacrificial vessel has the employed articulation control system of articulated vehicle (10) of front vehicle body (11) and aftercarriage (12), described front and back car body (11,12) is configured to be linked together by articulated mounting (13), first damping arrangement in relative rotation and second damping arrangement that provides relative to each other is provided described articulated mounting (13), described system comprises and is used for controlling the control setup of described rotation by controlling described first damping arrangement and described second damping arrangement

It is characterized in that described system comprises:

-the first control unit (31), it comprises the device that is used to control described first damping arrangement, and

-the second control unit (32), it separates and comprises the device that is used to control described second damping arrangement with described first control unit (31).

2. system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described control unit (31,32) comprise can be each other and/or with the control logic of other control unit exchange digital data.

3. system according to claim 1 and 2 is characterized in that, described device is made of the device that is used for control signal is offered described damping arrangement.

4. system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, at least one in described first and second control units (31,32) comprises the device of described first damping arrangement of control and described second damping arrangement.

5. system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described first control unit (31) and described second control unit (32) are configured to interconnect by means of exclusive data communication link (45).

6. according to each described system among the claim 1-5, it is characterized in that, described first control unit (31) is configured to use first connecting device (35) to be connected with vehicle communication bus (37), and wherein said second control unit (32) is configured to use second connecting device (36) with described first connecting device (35) separates to be connected with vehicle communication bus (37).

7. system according to claim 5, it is characterized in that, described first control unit (31) is configured to play bus master controller about the communication on described vehicle communication bus, and wherein said second control unit (32) has been configured to the effect of bus from the control device.

8. system according to claim 7, it is characterized in that, described second control unit (32) comprises and is used for determining described first control unit whether work abnormal device and the device that is used for plaing the bus master controller effect when described first control unit (31) work mal.

9. according to each described system in the aforementioned claim, it is characterized in that one or two in the described control unit (31,32) comprise the device that is used for sensor-lodging.

10. system according to claim 9, it is characterized in that described sensor signal is made up of the signal that comes from the one or more sensors in following group: splice angle sensor, damping pressure sensor, car speed sensor, wheel rotation sensor, steering angle sensor, hinged end position transduser.

11., it is characterized in that the transmission shaft (16) of described articulated vehicle (10) is arranged on the described aftercarriage (12) according to each described system in the aforementioned claim.

12., it is characterized in that described first and second damping arrangements constitute by coming from following group any one respectively: the cylinder of hydraulic actuating cylinder, air cylinder, electric motor operated according to each described system in the aforementioned claim.

13. system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described damping arrangement is made of hydraulic actuating cylinder, and wherein said control unit is configured to control described hydraulic actuating cylinder by controlling at least one hydraulic actuating cylinder activated valve.

14. according to each described system among the claim 1-13, it is characterized in that the size of each is designed such that all enough dampings of described hinge unit can realize separately by any described damping arrangement in described first and second damping arrangements.

15. articulated vehicle (10) is characterized in that, it comprises according to each described articulation control system among the claim 1-14.